Nimrod wrote:I have only considered it in passing. RPP restricted races have stat boosts already, I'm not sure what they are exactly at the moment.

Probably should have a clear plan for RPP races/their boosts before any plan for further RPP boosts is even on the table.

But at first blush I'd say we'd want to allow them to be able to purchase a stat boost if they wished as well.

i.e. no matter what race you get, the max stat boost you can get is 2.

Honestly, much of the balance decisions are going to be somewhat null until the imbalance between bludgeon vs. other weapons is filled out, but the bigger the imbalances are, the larger the gap between a well-optimized, stat-boosted using bludgeon PC vs. a poorly-built, non-boosted, non-bludgeon using PC grows, and making the difference 4-6 stat points or more is going to be rather big.

Disagree somewhat here. While I think stat boosts should be available for purchase, those who earn the RPP to make say, an Elf, or an Olog-Hai(Who knows?) or a Spider, or Ent, or Dwarf, or what have you..

You cut off, so I'm not sure how you disagree, but...humans/non-boosted people getting a maximum of +2 while everybody else has that is parity...everyone else having that or higher is not, and still means certain races are just better.

tehkory wrote:Probably should have a clear plan for RPP races/their boosts before any plan for further RPP boosts is even on the table.

Agree with this one. Should definitely have it all plotted out in advance so that anything stat related is known before roll out, as stat related stuff is one of the things that seems to get players the most riled if it is unbalanced. As it stands now by my opinion (and Kory agrees) Dwarves stat boosts don't make sense. They get +str +con, -dex -wil. Thematically that doesn't fit. They were exceptional craftsmen so minus dexterity, wut? Also, Dwarves weren't seduced by rings of power because of their inherent willpower and resistance to domination, so -wil, wut? Does not compute. Really, for most RPP races I don't see it making sense that they would have any -ves to stats, unless we were talking about trolls with maybe a -int or certain orcish races having a -wil.

Brian wrote: They get +str +con, -dex -wil. Thematically that doesn't fit. They were exceptional craftsmen so minus dexterity, wut? Also, Dwarves weren't seduced by rings of power because of their inherent willpower and resistance to domination, so -wil, wut? Does not compute. Really, for most RPP races I don't see it making sense that they would have any -ves to stats, unless we were talking about trolls with maybe a -int or certain orcish races having a -wil.

I agree... wut?! I'm not sure why we originally settled on the +1, +1, -1, -1 model. It makes absolutely no sense to me.

I'll run through the boosts we have right now and post for further debate.

The greatest enemy to propaganda or even counter-propaganda is open, unadulterated channels of free opinion.

I agree that the 1 boost per 1 RPP is a good model; simple and effective. The only thing I can see that would necessitate higher RPP costs is that you want to preserve rarity of certain races. However, I believe this can be done just as effectively by admin oversight of applications. Any application for a hobbit, for instance, will probably have to be excellent with excellent reasons for why that character will be in the game and what their purpose is in the area of play. I think any player that was wanting to apply for a hobbit or what have you would probably reach out to staff first. Furthermore, if you had a hobbit IG and didn't think that it would work at the moment to have more, it would be simple enough to say so.

A thing I would say too is that if you have races with boosts on the one side, you kind of need to have something to offer on the other side as well. There's a bit of a lack on the orc side of things for anything comparable to a dwarf/elf.

I like that all of the various human races are there, but what determines their RPP cost? Is it to try and preserve rarity, is it that it's expected that roleplaying a Gondorian human will be significantly more difficult than a Rhovanion human?

If RPP costs do become directly linked to stat boosts I would advocate that no humans (save Dunedain) should cost more than 1 RPP. I can't see the difference between a common Gondorian human and a Rhovanion human being that striking.

Below is my proposed cost list, tying RPP directly to stat boosts and leaving questions of numbers, player ability to portray the race, etc. to application vetting, not to RPP cost. When assigning bonuses I'm looking thematically, but also trying to not overload anything with boosts that relate directly to combat, so a mixture between the most important combat stats (AGI, STR, CON) and those that relate more to crafting/mental pursuits (DEX, INT, WIL, PRE)

Human (0 RPP)

Orc (0 RPP)

Easterling (0 RPP)

Warg (3 RPP) +1 STR, +1 CON, INFRAVISION: Wargs can't wear armor nor wield weapons, so boosts to 2 very combat relative stats in STR and CON to make them a little tougher, Infravision is a perk they currently have and fills out the 3rd RPP related boost.

Silvan Elf (4 RPP) +1 CON, +1 AGI, +1 DEX, +1 INT: Elves are naturally more resistant to physical hurts (CON), have grace of movement and command of their bodies (AGI), are skilled in craft and the making of things (DEX). I would change AUR from INT as I don't feel that the Silvan elves would be particularly inspiring in their AUR: a Dunedain in many ways is more ennobled spiritually than the common folk of the Silvan realm. INT however reflects that they have an immortal lifespan and the ability to continually learn throughout it [so higher skill pool].

Dunadan (4 RPP) +1 AGI, +1 DEX, +1 WIL, +1 AUR: More gifted in their physical form/movement and craft than common men [AGI and DEX], with ennobled spirits and greater ability to resist evil [AUR and WIL].

Beorning (1 RPP) +1 CON: Hardy bear men (CON)!

Dorwinion (1 RPP) +1 INT: From what I'm reading of the documentation they have a fairly advanced mercantile culture that seems to promote skills of diplomacy, bargaining and commerce, which I feel relates closest to INT.

Rohirrim (2 RPP) +1 AGI, +1 WILThe Rohirrim were a naturally warlike folk and had bodies gifted to the pursuit of the arts of war and horsemanship (AGI). They were a proud and fierce people, prideful and not easily cowed or intimidated (WIL).

Gondorian (2 RPP) +1 DEX, +1 INT: Most technologically advanced and learned culture of man left in Middle Earth, so +1 DEX for the craftiness and +1 INT for the fact that your average Gondorian almost certainly has a better education than any other mannish culture.

Daleman (1 RPP) +1 DEX:Close in friendship with the Dwarves, Dale was reknowned for its intricate and fantastical toys and other crafts, hence a bonus to DEX for that craftiness.

Breeman (1 RPP) +1 WILThe people of Bree pretty much live upon the distant fringe of civilization (if it can even be called that) and this leads them to be resolute and hardy of spirit.

Hobbit (3 RPP) +1 AGI, +1 DEX, +1 WILBasically the quietest, best sneakers in middle-earth (AGI), with clever craft skills and nimble fingers (DEX) and a remarkable mental fortitude and toughness of spirit when put to the test (WIL).

That's what's currently there. I'm not sure what you'd put up for the orc side but basically I think you'd need something at each of the 1, 2, 3, and 4 RPP slots at least.

I would also add as a caveat that if RPP races are going to be able to still purchase extra stat points that they not be allowed to use those stat points to boost anything to the Superhuman level, just like (I believe?) the upgrade command doesn't allow you to put something to Superhuman. If it happens in chargen, well, I guess you got very lucky, but that should be the only time. I'm told that Superhuman STR, in particular, is especially broken as it allows certain weapon interactions that are pretty much broken (dual wielding 1 heavy and 1 medium sized weapon I believe?)

I personally find myself agreeing almost wholeheartedly with Brian's layout.

You finish eating a green and brown mushroom. You still feel hungryeat belly-rotYou feel a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as the mushrooms hit.You are hungry.You are starving!You finish eating a belly-rot mushroom.You are starving!

I doubt it will combat the cookie cutter builds much but for those that don't or don't to the same extent it might help a bit.

You finish eating a green and brown mushroom. You still feel hungryeat belly-rotYou feel a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as the mushrooms hit.You are hungry.You are starving!You finish eating a belly-rot mushroom.You are starving!

Generally the term Orc and Goblin are interchangeable in Tolkien's work, but we can use goblins to define a race of orc that are smaller and inclined to agility.

Tolerance to sunlight: Is a big thing among the breeds, though most breeds of orc flag under the sun.

Uruk and Uruk-hai were reserved for the Uruks themselves, a special breed or breeds of Orc; they called smaller, weaker Orcs snaga, "slave". The Grey Elves also referred to the Orcs as a whole as the Glamhoth, "noisy horde". The word "goblin" is used to represent the original Hobbit Orc. In The History of Middle-earth Tolkien writes about an Orc captain named Boldog but later specifies that Boldog may have been either a term or a title for another special kind of Orc instead of a personal name.

Orcs served Morgoth in Angband and Sauron in Mordor. By the time of the War of the Ring, some served Saruman in Isengard. However, some Orcs seem to have worked independently. Before and during the time of The Hobbit, some Orcs had Mount Gundabad as their capital, the Orcs of the Misty Mountains were apparently ruled by one "Great Goblin", the former Dwarf-realm of Moria was held by orcs under one Azog and then his son Bolg, and one Golfimbul had led the orcs of Mount Gram in a foray into the Shire.

I would imagine that the necromancer (Sauron) in Dol Guldur would be up to no good and orc breeding may be one of the no-good things he's doing apart from generally attracting orcs and other foul beasties to the area.

So maybe we can come up with breeds and strains such as:Wild Orcs and Goblins, which would represent independent orc tribes for exmple. Fighting orcs/goblins, half-orcs, uruk-hai, and boldog, giving the evil side enough variety and perhaps some stat-equivalents to more powerful races.

Wild Orc (0 RPP): +1 STR, -1 WIL, SUNLIGHT PENALTYThese are your everyday run of the mill wild orcs that breed freely in the mountains hither and yon. The reasoning for their stats is in the intent of their creation as well as in how their culture favors the strong.

Wild Goblin (0 RPP): +1 AGI, -1 CON, SUNLIGHT PENALTYSimilar to the common Orc, the origin of the goblin is that they are a small breed meant to be fast-moving scouts.

Uruk-hai (2 RPP): +1 STR, +1 CON, 1/2 SUNLIGHT PENALTYPinnacle of orc breeding, these orcs were described in the LOTR Trilogy but I don't think we can limit them there for their first appearance. These could be an earlier, beta breed version that Sauron has been testing out.

Warg (3 RPP): +2 STR, +2 CON, +2 AGI, +1 DEX, -2 WIL, -2 INT (net stat gain is 3) SKILL RESTRICTEDThe stats and skill restrictions would be a good way to represent their more animalistic nature and while they are still intelligent, the penalties to int and will would represent their inclination to acting instinctively instead of with reason. Racial bonuses to certain skills (Track, Hunt, Forage) may be necessary as well to compensate for the lack of access to other skills (read, write, craft skills, etc.)

Boldog (4 RPP) +2 STR, +1 CON, +1 AGI, no sunlight penaltyThe special kind of orc as mentioned above. These would likely be good leaders. These would be, obviously rare, but powerful enough to match the 4 rpp races on the other side of the sphere.

I looked through my electronic and printed resources regarding the Knights of Dol Amroth and there is no mention of their racial composition. It is not unfeasible that regular Gondorian Men of sufficient skill and status were knighted. Remember that these are military appointments, not peerage.

The Faithful from Númenor began colonising the coast near Dol Amroth at the end of the Second Age shortly before Númenor was destroyed, and this area was noted for the number of men of Númenórean blood, and for the number who still spoke the Elvish tongue.

Prince Imrahil dwelt "in the great fief of Belfalas ... in his castle of Dol Amroth by the sea, and he was of high blood, and his retainers also, tall men and proud with sea-grey eyes".

And last and proudest, [came] Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth..., with gilded banners bearing his token of the Ship and the Silver Swan, and a company of knights in full harness riding grey horses; and behind them seven hundreds of men at arms, tall as lords, grey-eyed, dark-haired, singing as they came.

So it was that Gandalf took command of the last defence of the City of Gondor.... Tirelessly he strode from Citadel to Gate...; and with him went the Prince of Dol Amroth in his shining mail. For he and his knights still held themselves like lords in whom the race of Númenor ran true. Men that saw them whispered saying: 'Belike the old tales speak well; there is Elvish blood in the veins of that folk, for the people of Nimrodel dwelt in that land once long ago.' And then one would sing amid the gloom some staves of the Lay of Nimrodel, or other songs of the Vale of Anduin out of vanished years.